Barry Keoghan said the success of the Bafta award for Irish talent will encourage artists in the country “to send in the scripts and do what they want to do”.
The Irish actor, 30, received the Best Supporting Actor award for his role in The Banshees Of Inisherin after his co-star Kerry Condon won the gong for Best Supporting Actress for the film.
The black comedy, directed by Martin McDonagh, also received the awards for Outstanding British Film and Original Screenplay during the ceremony at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday.
(PA graphic)
Reflecting on what the award means to Ireland, Keoghan told the PA news agency in the Bafta winners’ room: “It encourages arts at home and we are an island of storytelling and great actors, poets and writers.
“And that helps the industry at home tremendously and encourages people to send in the scripts and do what they want to do.”
He added that he plans to celebrate his win with his son Brando by ordering room service after the ceremony and that he will keep the award under a picture of his mother, who struggled with drug addiction and died when Keoghan was still a child.
The Dublin-born actor, who grew up in foster care, also dedicated the award to children in his area.
Condon said winning the Best Supporting Actress award was “really surreal.”
In the Bafta winners’ room, the 40-year-old Irish actress said: “Oh my god, the whole thing was just this weird blackout moment.
“All I remember is seeing and seeing all the guys looking at me like, ‘Get up.’ It was just really surreal.”
Reflecting on why her role as Siobhan resonated with so many people, she said, “I hope it’s because she was able to be kind to someone who teased her, and I think that is because it has evolved.
Kerry Condon (Ian West/PA)
“And I think maybe because she’s shown a lot of inner strength and a lot of sadness that people experience and also that a lot of her life is taking care of her brother or someone else.
“And I think a lot of women sacrifice their lives for their children or for their husbands or whoever.”
An Irish Goodbye, set in Northern Ireland and following two estranged brothers who get back together after the death of their mother, also won the UK Short Film Awards at the awards.
The film’s co-director Ross White said the creators felt “so honored” to be part of the talent of a nation that has won so many awards.
Tom Berkeley, Seamus O’Hara, James Martin and Ross White, the stars and creators of The Irish Goodbye (Ian West/PA)
Speaking in the winners’ room, he said: “It is a remarkable year for Irish film and the talent to be seen at all the awards.
“We’re a very small part of it, but we’re so honored to be a part of it.
“We also represent Northern Ireland, it just means a lot to us.
“To see our fellow nominees in Colm Bairead for the beautiful film The Quiet Girl, the Banshees team, all recognized in this way for this Irish talent is such an honor and fills us with pride.”
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